[April 03, 2009] LMH prepares for renovations: Six nursing stations will be revamped to enhance patient care Tweet Apr 03, 2009 (The Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Lenoir Memorial Hospital will begin renovating six nursing stations starting in May. The project, which has an estimated price tag of $500,000, is expected to improve patient care by creating a modern work space for health care providers. "The nursing station is sort of the nerve center of any hospital unit," Jim Cullen, director of engineering services at LMH, said. "It's where (everyone) congregates to be sure that they get a central repository on patient care and progress." Each station will be revamped to include modernized equipment that will facilitate the hospital's switch to electronic medical records, one of the driving forces behind the project. "Our need is to have an upgraded computer network that will allow ... access to patient care information," Dr. Wayne T. Jarman, general surgeon at LMH, said. "The whole goal of the nurse station redesign is so that we can more readily share information amongst the appropriate people with the goal of providing more effective patient care." In order to gain a multidisciplinary perspective, LMH put together a team of doctors, nurses, architects, engineers, and hospital personnel to brainstorm design ideas. "It's truly been a collaborative effort with all parties involved," Cullen said. Once the project is under way, one station will be worked on at a time in an effort to minimize patient disruption. A tentative completion date has been set for September. LMH plans to use area contractors and supplies in an effort to support the local economy. "Everyone is keenly aware that we're in a tight economy and the hospital had to be extremely selective about the projects we chose for this year ... this was high on our priority list," Cullen said. A $100,000 grant from The Cannon Foundation will pay for a portion of the renovations. "Even though it has been a competitive process, it is evident that Cannon understands the increasingly difficult financial challenges that community hospitals face," Constance Hengal, director of community programming and development, said. "The grant funds will be applied entirely to the cost of the project." Sarah Campbell can be reached at (252) 559-1076 or [email protected]. Check out Sarah's blog at scampbell.encblogs.com. Key nursing station renovation improvements -Increased number of computer stations -Noise abatement -Improved visibility of patient rooms -Enhanced privacy -Energy-efficient lighting To see more of The Free Press or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kinston.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, The Free Press, Kinston, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]